The African Union appoints Mr. Dileita Mohamed Dileita as Special Envoy for Libya

The African Union appoints Mr. Dileita Mohamed Dileita as Special Envoy for Libya

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, June 12, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, today announced the appointment of Mr. Dileita Mohamed Dileita of Djibouti as her Special Envoy for Libya.

Mr Dileita served as Prime Minister of the Republic of Djibouti from 2001 to 2013 and President of the Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP) until 2012. Mr. Dileita has also previously served as Djibouti’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, the Organization of African Unity and Uganda. Mr Dileita is currently a serving member of the AU High-Level Panel for Egypt.

The decision to appoint an AU Special Envoy for Libya comes as a follow-up to the press statement adopted by the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) at its 436th meeting held on 23 May 2014. In that press statement, Council expressed deep concern at the prevailing situation on the ground and its far-reaching consequences for Libya and its people, as well as for the region as a whole and the rest of the continent. Council also encouraged the Chairperson of the Commission to urgently appoint a special Envoy who would undertake consultations with the Libyan authorities and other relevant stakeholders, as well as with the countries of the region, with the view to submitting to it a comprehensive report on the situation, including concrete recommendations on how best the AU can further support the stabilization process in Libya and the early completion of the current transition.

In the discharge of his mandate, the Special Envoy will engage with the Libyan authorities and other stakeholders in support of the efforts aimed at stabilizing the situation in the country, promoting national reconciliation and facilitating the early completion of the current transition. He will closely coordinate his action and initiatives with the neighboring countries and AU partners, including the United Nations, the League of Arab States, the European Union and other relevant bilateral actors. He will be supported on the ground by the AU Liaison Office in Tripoli.

In the meantime, the Chairperson of the Commission reiterates AU’s call on all Libyan stakeholders to put the supreme interest of their country above any other consideration, resolutely commit themselves to settle their differences through peaceful means and embark upon the path of national reconciliation, in fulfillment of the legitimate aspirations of their people for democracy, the rule of law and socio-economic wellbeing.